Freedom of Association Score in Malawi
Malawi: Freedom of Association Score was 8 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Freedom of Association Score in Malawi, 2005–2025
Source: Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for freedom of association score in Malawi is 8, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 11 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 14.3% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom of association score in Malawi peaked at 8 in 2007 and was at its lowest, 6, in 2011.
Malawi ranks 22nd of 128 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 11 years of available data.
Freedom of Association Score in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 7 | — |
| 2007 | 8 | +14.3% |
| 2009 | 7 | -12.5% |
| 2011 | 6 | -14.3% |
| 2013 | 8 | +33.3% |
| 2015 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 7 | -12.5% |
| 2025 | 8 | +14.3% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 8 is above the median for low income countries, which is 3, 2.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 8 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4, 2.0× the median. (39 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.33 | 7 | 8 | 3 |
| 2010s | 7.6 | 6 | 8 | 5 |
| 2020s | 7.67 | 7 | 8 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 22 Armenia 8 compare
- 22 Bolivia 8 compare
- 22 Botswana 8 compare
- 22 Bulgaria 8 compare
- 22 Ghana 8 compare
- 22 Lesotho 8 compare
- 22 Liberia 8 compare
- 22 Mauritius 8 compare
- 22 Namibia 8 compare
- 22 Papua New Guinea 8 compare
- 22 Romania 8 compare
- 22 Senegal 8 compare
- 22 South Africa 8 compare
- 22 Ukraine 8 compare
More social development data for Malawi
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 35,241 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 551 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate -33.33 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 551 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0016 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom of association score in Malawi?
- Freedom of association score in Malawi was 8 in 2025, according to Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom of association score recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 8 in 2007.
- What is the lowest freedom of association score recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 6 in 2011.
- How does Malawi rank for freedom of association score?
- Malawi ranks 22nd out of 128 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom of association score rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom of Association Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 11 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Indicates the extent to which residents and civic groups are free from government interference to associate and assemble.